Face the Sky
by orpheneritus
Summary: [AtoJi] Atobe is a star in the face of the sky... so why does he feel so lonely.


**Title:** Face the Sky  
**Author:** Orpheneritus  
**Pairing:** AtoJi  
**Rating:** PG  
**Warnings:** None

A star in the face of the sky… who wants to be that lonely.

1/

'_Wave goodbye, Keigo-kun,' she whispered in his ear. 'Make your parents proud.'_

And he had.

Student Body President.

Captain of the Hyoutei Tennis Club.

First seed singles.

Top grades in all classes.

Voted most charismatic two years in a row.

He was a star.

2/

'You're a star, Keigo-kun,' she whispered pressing the frozen dish into his hands as she tried to hold back her tears.

'Satoshi-san, I don't understand.' Atobe dropped his school bag at the door where he'd just been dropped off. 'Where are you going?'

This time a tear did escape and she hastily brushed it away. 'Remember what I told you. Be good, don't cause too much trouble and make your parents proud…'

'You're leaving,' the words fell flat and lifeless from his mouth.

'I'm leaving.'

Atobe took the frozen dish from her hands, it was his favorite. 'Why?' he whispered.

'Your mother and I—'

'Fuck her,' he spat, repressing his urge to smash the dish across the floor.

'Keigo, don't,' Satoshi reached out a hand to him, but he backed away. 'You're letting her win if you do.'

'Then stay,' he demanded hating the pleading tone that had edged into his voice.

'I can't. It's time for me to go,' she smiled picking up her worn bag from the floor. The same bag he remembered her arriving with when he was only five.

'_Oba-chan_,' he whispered. 'I did it to make you proud.'

'I know.'

3/

He ate the cherry pie, still half frozen, straight from the dish she'd made it in. Three times the maid had come to clear the dishes in his bedroom, on her last attempt he'd finally struck her in the head with his tennis ball. No one had knocked since then.

His mother had called twice to yell at him for his childishness. Even his father had gotten on the line to mutter absent minded platitudes. Atobe just stood at the window and looked out over the tennis courts until they hung up.

When he came downstairs after three days the staff fluttered around him, getting on his nerves. Cheerful and smiling they reached out to touch him, always pulling away at the last moment. Atobe didn't let people touch him. Just Satoshi-san. She was the only one who could touch him.

He went to school to get away from home. If anymore staff quit due to his outbursts, then he wouldn't even have them to go home to.

Yuushi was standing at the gates when he arrived. As quiet and unconcerned as ever he fell in step beside him. If Yuushi knew about Satoshi-san leaving, he didn't mention it, but filled him in on activities during his brief absence.

He'd always thought that he and Yuushi were similar in personality. But in one moment he felt like the gulf between them had widened to an insurmountable distance, as Mukahi-kun swept towards Yuushi with a smile and Atobe saw their hands meet in the briefest of clasps.

Even Yuushi had found someone to touch him.

4/

Atobe sighed in relief as he slipped around the back of the school and followed the narrow path past the dumpsters and around the side of the custodian's office where there was a small patch of grass where he could escape from everyone.

The forced cleverness of his daily personality had given him the worst tension headache of his life. Everyone expecting things from him, confidence, a witty remark, the correct answer, a brilliant idea. Today he found his life too exhausting.

Apparently he wasn't the only one.

Jirou lay with one arm thrown over his eyes to block the sun, breath softly puffing in and out. He envied Jirou his easy lifestyle.

'Atobe-san,' he yawned stretching his arms above his head before rolling onto his side. He gave a lazy teary eyed smile in his direction before patting the ground beside him.

And he sat. Letting Jirou push him down into the grass until he lay along side him, face to face with the tow-headed boy.

'You're sad today, Atobe-san,' he said softly.

'How can you tell?' he asked, surprised that Jirou had noticed anything during his dream filled days.

'You shine a little less bright,' he replied sleepily.

He felt the soft huff of Jirou's breath across his face and realized how close they were at that moment. Almost touching. It was as if they had slipped between the spaces of real life, where he didn't have to be Atobe. 'Someone I love left me,' he confessed. 'I don't think she loves me anymore.' He absently pulled a chunk of grass from the ground.

Jirou frowned and opened his golden eyes, his mouth pursed in thought. 'Perhaps she just loved you enough to know when it was time.'

'Time for what?' his voice caught on the words.

'Time for you to love someone new,' he replied.

Atobe shook his head in resistance to his words. 'But I don't have anyone else.'

Jirou clasped his wrists and rolled onto his back, pulling a reluctant Atobe with him. 'I always find a good nap helps me to think things over.' Jirou gently pulled him down to rest against his shoulder and Atobe let him.

Let him.

Let him wrap his arms around his shoulders. Let him rest his head. Let him gently press a kiss to his forehead.

And fell asleep.


End file.
